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The similarity of the timber of the Sydney species {e.g., G. ylauca, 

 suherosa, torulosa) to that of Quercus (Northern Oak) is, of course, obvious. 

 As regards the use of 'the prefix " she," to denote paleness of colour or 

 inferiority, this is an Australian practice which has long been established, 

 and which is open to no doubt. Bushmen continue to use the term daily,, 

 thus we have " She Beech," " She Pine," " She Ironbark." 



Branchlets. — The "foliage" consists of long fine apparently leafless verti- 

 cillate branches. Leaves are really present in Oasuarinas, but are reduced 

 to minute whorled teeth or bristles forming the top of a cylindrical joint. 

 These branchlet- joints are formed by the concrescence of leaves, each tooth 

 being merely the apex of a leaf. The transit of such diminutive or rudimen' 

 tary leaves to those of more developed form can be traced in the allied 

 Family Goniferce from Cypresses to Pines. 



The branchlet-joints are sometimes more or less furrowed, but, as a rule, 

 the furrows are not evident in living Specimens, but become visible on 

 drying. 



Timber. — Casuarina timbers vary so niuch in depth of tint, in the extent 

 and distribution of the blotchy grain (medullary rays) to which the wood 

 owes so much of its beauty, that it is difficult to describe it by any brief 

 general description. Some of the deep-red kinds imported into England at 

 one time very largely, Mr. Holtzapffel, the well-known authority on turnery, 

 describes as — 



In general colour resembling a full red mahogany, with darlier red veins; 

 the grain is more like the Evergreen Oak (Quercus Ilex, a Mediterranean 

 species) than the other European varieties, as the veins are small, slightly 

 curled, and closely distribute'd throughout the whole surface. Some specimens 

 are very pretty. 



Most of our She Oaks are very fissile, and show a handsome blotchy oak- 

 like grain, often different, however, in colour. The timber is hard and 

 heavy, and that of some kinds very tough. 



The principal use of She Oak timber is for fuel, for which purpose it is 

 excellent. It is also used for shingles, and at one time largely for staves, 

 though far less at the present time. It is excellent for ornamental turnery 

 work generally, and for cabinet work, for which it is generally used in 

 veneers. Then we have such uses as veneer for the backs of brushes, and 

 for what is known at Tunbridge ware. For all the above uses (except 

 shingles and staves), I am of opinion that there might be created for 

 various She Oak timbers a very large demand in Great Britain and the 

 continent of Europe. Some of them, e.jr.. River Oak and Swamp Oak, are 

 much prized for bullock-yokes, as their timber is coinparatively light and 

 tough, and the bolts do not work loose. The She Oak timber makes excellent 

 mauls, tool-handles, and very ornamental walking-sticks, good screws of 

 hand-screws ; in fact, one species or another may be put to very many useful 

 purposes. 



This timber was called into requisition early in the history of Australian 

 colonisation, and was beginning to get scarce immediately round the setttle- 

 ment in Sydney Cove only four months after the landing, (governor Phillip 

 (quoted by G. B. Barton) at that date says : — 



The timber which In its growth resembles the fir-tree warps less (than gum 

 timber), but we are already obliged to fetch it from some distance, and it will 

 not float. 



